We sailed back to Moorea last Friday and dropped the anchor in our favourite bay at Opunohu. Last weekend being a Bank Holiday loads of local sailing yachts invaded the anchorage. Still, there was enough place for every boat. They all left on Monday and now there are only 3 boats including us left, plus 2 live-on-board local boats. We still marvel at the beauty of the snorkelling. So many fish, big and small. Raies somersaulting around, little sharks and Samy (that’s how we named her) the turtle who comes and says hello every day. Beautiful.

We have had two nice beach gatherings for drinks over the weekend with the other yachts in the bay. Quite a few of them are now in Bora-Bora and one has left for the Tuamotus this morning which they missed on the way down from the Marquesas due to a dramatic rudder breakdown.

We went over to Cooks Bay this morning in the dinghy to do our grocery shopping. We saw Dan from JACANA. They are anchored over there. They unfortunately had some big engine problems, now sorted, and a dramatic instance when they had to call MAYDAY the weekend before last when the Maramu was blowing and they were drifting towards the coral reef with their anchor dragging and no working engine. A fisherman came to their rescue and luckily all ended up well.

We will get back to Papeete as soon as our parcels with the various boat parts have arrived. After repairing everything we intend to sail to Huahine, only about 80 nm away but an overnight passage.

It has been raining this afternonn and the sky is still very cloudy. We re-anchored a few metres from where we were originally because we were a bit too close to the corals heads by the beach.

Life is good!

Love

Mike and Catherine